We are overjoyed in announcing that World English rights to Finlandia Junior Prize winner Maresi (Schildts & Söderströms 2014), as well as two upcoming volumes in the Red Abbey Chronicles by Maria Turtschaninoff, have been acquired by Pushkin Press in the UK.

”I was blown away by Maresi, quite simply. Maria Turtschaninoff has written an incredibly original, vivid and gripping story with appeal not only for YA readers but far beyond. And embedded in the story is a passionate feminist voice that I strongly believe will resonate with a wide variety of readers, young adult ­ and adult alike. I’ve no doubt that Maresi and The Red Abbey Chronicles as a whole will become classics of the genre.” – Adam Freudenheim, Publisher and Managing Director, Pushkin Press/Pushkin Children’s Books

”Maresi is a powerful, intelligent and utterly thrilling adventure story with a strong and timely feminist message. Set in a beautifully drawn fantasy world, this story is as compelling as it is challenging, and I devoured it in one sitting. I’m sure many, many more readers will be doing the same over the coming years.”– Daniel Seton, Commissioning Editor, Pushkin Press/Pushkin Children’s Books

Pushkin Children’s Books focuses on bringing the best stories from around the world to young readers. Among its other titles are Anne Plichota and Cendrine Wolf’s Oksa Pollock series and Dave Eggers’s reimagining of The Story of Captain Nemo.

Please contact the Agency for a full English text of Maresi!

Praise:

”Maresi takes the reader into a world full of wonder. And, most importantly, it tells us about the magical power of friendship. A truly enchanting story.“– Stefanie Brösigke, Junior Editor, Heyne Verlag, Germany

“Fierce and gentle, violent and tender, poetic and full of action – not one or the other, but both. Maresi instills a sense of will, hope and optimism in a reader and encourages her to walk towards the light without fear.”– Finlandia Junior Prize announcement, Director Johanna Vuoksenmaa

About the Red Abbey Chronicles by Maria Turtschaninoff:

Maresi, Book I: The Red Abbey, located on the island of Menos, is a refuge and a community for women and girls. At the Red Abbey everyone is given the freedom to pursue and develop their own talents and areas of interest. Maresi, the main character and narrator, has realized that reading and learning are the two things closest to her heart.

One day Jai, a frightened girl, arrives on the island. It is gradually revealed that Jai is running from her father’s senseless fury; she has seen her sister get buried alive for speaking to a young man, and now her father and a crew of thugs are after her. The bravery of Maresi and her friends is put to the ultimate test when they have to fight to defend both Jai and their community.

A prequel to Maresi, Book II (Schildts & Söderströms) will tell the story of the First Sisters, and how they came to flee a harem in the faraway Eastern Lands and eventually establish the Red Abbey.

Asequel to Maresi, Book III (Schildts & Söderströms) will follow Maresi after she leaves the Red Abbey and sets out to establish a school in the oppressed province of Rovas.

About the author:

Maria Turtschaninoff (b. 1977) works full-time as a writer. Her sources of inspiration are Diana Wynne Jones, Lloyd Alexander, Philip Pullman, Michael Ende, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula K. Le Guin, C.S. Lewis and many others. She has become known for her ability to craft rich, historically inspired worlds that contain elements of mythology and fairy tales. Her accolades include the Finlandia Junior Prize, the Swedish YLE Literature Prize, and the Society of Swedish Literature Prize. She has also been nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

Maria Turtschaninoff is known for crafting lyrical, historically inspired fantasy stories starring strong female protagonists. In addition to J.R.R. Tolkien, she counts Philip Pullman, Ursula K. Le Guin and C.S. Lewis among her favorite authors. She is a two-time winner of the Society of Swedish Literature Prize, a nominee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, and winner of the 2014 Finlandia Junior Prize. Maria has a Master of Arts in human ecology and works full-time as a writer.